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ESP-025 Striker
|model number=ESP-025 |developed from=*ESP-010 Valiant *ESP-018EP Prototype Striker |variants=ESP-025AE Jet Striker |unit type=Limited Production General-Purpose Mobile Suit |operators=* **106th Special Tactics Squadron **212nd Special Tactics Squadron |launched=50 S.E. |destroyed= |known pilots=*Michael Arlen *Cecil Harlow *Sana Hayaishi *Anthony Hemingway *Alexandra Kendal *Christopher Miller *Isabelle McAlster *Ian Starling |height=17.9 metres |power plant=*UPEM Fuel Cell |fixed armaments=* x 2 * x 2 |optional fixed armaments=* x 4 ** x 16 |handheld armaments =* x 2 |optional handheld armaments=* * * * * * * |standard equipment=*Beam-Resistant Coating |unique aspects= |armour=*Titanium Polycarbon Alloy |accommodation=Pilot only, cockpit in torso |affiliation= |universe=Solar Era |storyline=Mobile Suit Storm Gundam |firstappearance=Rise of a Saviour}} The ESP-025 Striker (aka Striker) is a limited production mobile suit used by the ESPF in Mobile Suit Storm Gundam. Technology & Combat Characteristics The Striker is a high performance mobile suit reserved for the ESPF's best pilots, requiring considerable skills to fully handle its powerful thrusters and avoid spinning out of control. Despite the slimmer frame its electronics have been upgraded to provide improved targeting with better response times, further enhancing the suit's role as a high-speed strike fighter. Its design philosophy follows a more high agility and low armour design, again highlighting the skill required to pilot such a mobile suit, the Striker's speed also makes it more difficult for pilots to handle due to a higher thrust to mass ratio compared to the Valiant. As a result of universal design elements in ESPF weapon systems the Striker can use almost any previously built Peacekeeper armaments, and can be easily reequipped as per the pilot's preferences. Unlike its mass-produced cousin, the Striker's armour has a Beam-Resistant Coating applied to it. This decision was made during the Insurrection when ship-based beam weapons were found to cause severe casualty rates on both sides, with the Peacekeepers attempting to provide their best pilots and machines with every possible advantage available at the time. Even after the conflict the coating remained standard on all Strikers due to the relatively small numbers produced and Striker's smaller armour surface area, making the addition relatively inexpensive to keep. Though mostly seen operating in space, the Strike is capable of functioning in gravity, requiring only minor re-equipping for aerial deployment. The majority of weapons available to the Striker are based on traditional linear and plasma technology, however, a small range of SR beam weapons are available to squads on request. Unlike the later beam weapons used by suits powered by Storm and Pulse Drives, the Striker's beam weapons are powered by a built-in Reichold Particle Battery, limiting the number of times the weapon can be used. Ranged beam weapons such as rifles and machine guns can be recharged by replacing the battery, much like a magazine for ballistic weapons. Armaments ;* : ;* :The Striker's main weapon, the "Trident" is a powerful rifle using a magnetic induction effect to launch 250mm projectiles. ;* :The "Lancea" long rifle fires smaller rounds than other primary linear weapons, but has a longer barrel and can accelerate them at higher speeds. This provides the weapon with a greater effective range and piercing power than other linear weapons. ;* :Two 60mm vulcans are mounted in the head of the mobile suit, they're primarily used for suppressive fire and missile interception. ;* :Each Striker has two 100mm machine guns installed in the clavicles, despite being the suit's secondary weapon they can deal serious damage at close range. ;* : :;* :: ;* : ;* :By channelling plasma with a magnetic field the mobile suit can use two plasma beam swords for close combat. Though they don't have as much cutting strength as SR beam sabres the plasma beam models are still quite capable of holding their own. ;* :A limited production beam sabre, unlike later models it does not rely on an external particle feed but instead is pre-charged on board a carrier. As a result the weapon can only be used for a few minutes before depleting. ;* :Select Strikers can be outfitted with an SR beam rifle instead of a linear firearm, powered by a particle battery to allow machines without a compatible drive to use them. If the battery runs out a new one can be loaded by the mobile suit in combat. System Features ;*Beam-Resistant Coating : Variants ;*ESP-025AE Jet Striker : History Deployment Before development of the Storm Drives, the ESP-025 Striker mobile suits were regarded as the state of the art unit available at the time. Due to it's lightweight design and high thrust to weight ratio, the Striker excelled at high speed hit-and-run tactics, valuing agility over defence. When assigned to squads pilots were granted the authority to request minor adjustments to the suit's systems such as propulsion, sensors, armour and weapons. More experienced pilots were allowed their own custom version of the ESP-025 and had a much larger choice of options. Solar Era 75 With the onset of a significantly more powerful enemy the Peacekeeper forces immediately realised how poorly the current level of mobile suit technology would fare against such an enemy. Ian Starling's Red Squadron was first to engage the enemy and only managed to defeated them because of the squad's superior skills and intense training. The majority of the existing military consisted of ESP-010 Valiants which were considered too weak to be used in combat now. To even the odds the Peacekeepers sped up development of Project Storm, the data of which was later used in mass producing a more powerful general purpose mobile suit. Following the successful production of mass produced Storm Drives the Strikers were eventually phased out in favour of newer machines. However, the Striker's overall design was retained in some newer mobile suits. See also Category:Mobile Suit Storm Gundam